Deirdre O'Reilly

Deirdre O'Reilly is the Head of Social Research and Behaviour Change at Highways England, with a strong focus on promoting safe, sustainable, and efficient transport systems.

With a background in social research, behavior change, and transport, Deirdre embeds multi-disciplinary, behavior-based approaches in Highways England's projects to drive impactful outcomes.

She advocates for evidence-based strategies, conducting trials to identify effective interventions and exploring insights from various sectors like health and industry to enhance transport practices.

Deirdre's expertise extends to road safety, where she champions a holistic safe systems approach and supports the development of new talent in the sector.

Her educational background includes studies at Marist Convent, Sunningdale, Berkshire, and a BA Joint Honours in Geography & Economics from the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

Deirdre has held key roles in different organizations, including Highways England and the UK Department for Transport, and has contributed to academic research at institutions like University College London and the Transport Research Laboratory.